Who to start · 2025-26
Brady Tkachuk vs Fabian Zetterlund
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brady Tkachuk projects to 2.50 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Fabian Zetterlund's 1.16.
Tkachuk had 59 points in 60 games; Zetterlund had 33 in 82 games.
This week Tkachuk has 3 games left with 1 soft matchup; Zetterlund has 3 left with 1 soft and 2 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Tkachuk for 7.7 to Zetterlund's 3.6 over the games left.
Brady Tkachuk has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Tkachuk's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 71, Faceoffs won 175, Power-play time per game 3:13.
Zetterlund's biggest edges: Goals above expected +1.5, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.51, 20+ mph bursts 121.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Brady Tkachuk rates ahead, +11.3 to +0.3 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Tkachuk is surging, 10 P in last 5 (0.75/GP before); Zetterlund is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 1.98 (was 2.75).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 4 A, 5 PPP, 32 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 15 SOG.
Florida Panthers · Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brady Tkachuk
+11.3
category z-score total
Fabian Zetterlund
+0.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Brady Tkachuk has the edge (Tkachuk wins 6, Zetterlund wins 0 of 6 categories).
| Category | Tkachuk | Zetterlund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.48 | 0.17 |
| Assists / game | 0.55 | 0.21 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.13 | -0.01 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.42 | 0.10 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.64 | 1.63 |
| Hits / game | 2.94 | 2.10 |
Per-game rates from the selected sample; blended mixes last season with this season, weighting this season more as games are played. Categories are scored as z-scores against qualified players at the same position. Your scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Tkachuk vs Zetterlund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tkachuk 2G 7A, 26 SOG · Zetterlund 0G 4A, 19 SOG
Tkachuk blocked 0 of Zetterlund's shots; Zetterlund blocked 2 of Tkachuk's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice together
191:40 at 5-on-5 over 31 games, 2025-26
- Shot attempts
- 246–175
- 58.4%
- Expected goals
- 11.4–5.8
- 66.3%
- Goals
- 8–10
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tkachuk | Zetterlund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-01 | OTT 5–3 SJS | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-27 | OTT 4–3 SJS | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2024-03-09 | OTT 1–2 SJS | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-01-13 | OTT 5–4 SJS | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-11-19 | OTT 1–5 NJD | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-11-10 | OTT 3–4 NJD | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-04-26 | OTT 5–4 NJD | 0G 3A 1S | 0G 1A 5S |
Every stat, side by side
Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
Chemistry as teammates
How their expected-goal share at 5v5 changed together vs apart (shrunk for sample size), and how closely their DraftKings points moved game to game (raw, that season only; for forward linemates the typical value is about .28).
| Season | 5v5 min together | xG% lift | xGF/60 lift | DK correlation (raw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 OTT | 197 | +6.4 | +0.28 | .19(−.23 to .55), 18 GP |
This week's schedule
Oct 19 to Oct 25. More games usually wins a weekly start/sit. Chips show how many fantasy points the opponent allows to the player's position (soft or tough), the Schedule Edge from rest and travel, and the likely opposing goalie with his save percentage. Projections cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Brady Tkachuk
3games
7.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT2.5 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to LWLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI2.7 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Fabian Zetterlund
3games
3.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.1 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.1 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brady Tkachuk or Fabian Zetterlund in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brady Tkachuk projects to 2.50 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Fabian Zetterlund's 1.16. Tkachuk had 59 points in 60 games; Zetterlund had 33 in 82 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
- Who is better, Brady Tkachuk or Fabian Zetterlund?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brady Tkachuk leads in 25 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Tkachuk and Zetterlund done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Tkachuk's team went 4–3. Tkachuk had 9 points (2 goals) and Zetterlund had 4 (0 goals).
2025-26 regular season from NHL play-by-play, shift charts and NHL EDGE, processed by Edgehalla. Head-to-head covers every loaded season (play-by-play from 2019-20; on-ice matchups from 2025-26).Compare other players →